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Do Not Write!
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What qualities makes a hero?
By Homer
Background
The Odyssey is a sequel (the second
book in a series).
 It is the second of Homer’s two great
epic poems.
 Part one is called The Iliad.
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The Iliad
The Iliad is the story of the Trojan War
which might actually have taken place
around 1250 B.C.
 This poem is a tale of myth and magic,
not history.
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The gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece
are important characters.
 They take sides in the war and help the
human characters.
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According to the myth, the war started this way:
Paris was a prince in the city of Troy.
Three goddesses asked him to judge who
among them was the most beautiful.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, offered Paris a
reward if he chose her.
She said he could have Helen, the most
beautiful woman in the world.
However, Helen was married to Menelaus, the
King of Sparta, a city in Greece.
When Paris visited Sparta, Aphrodite made
Helen fall in love with him.
Helen ran away with Paris.
Menelaus and his brother, Agamemnon, led
a Greek army against Troy to bring her back.
 The war that followed is called the Trojan
War after the name Troy.
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The Iliad takes place during the last months
of the Trojan War.
 Its hero is Achilles, a mighty Greek warrior.
 The Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector, a
Trojan hero who is killed by Achilles. (Where
have you heard this name before?)
 The story tells of many heroes on both sides.
 Of the Greek heroes is named Odysseus.
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The Odyssey
The Odyssey is named for Odysseus.
 Odysseus is the King of Ithaca, and
island off the coast of Greece.
 According to the myth, Odysseus did not
want to fight at Troy.
 He did not want to leave his wife,
Penelope, and his baby son,
Telemachus.
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Odysseus had to be tricked into joining the Greek army.
 Once he was involved in the fighting, however, he
proved to be brave and clever.
 In fact, Odysseus thought of the trick that finally won the
war for the Greeks.
 Odysseus’s plan was to build an enormous wooden
horse and hide Greek soldiers inside.
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 The horse was left outside the gates of Troy, and the
Greeks “abandoned” their camp.
 The Trojans thought the horse was a peace offering
and brought it into the walled city.
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At night, the men hidden in the horse came out and
opened the gates to the entire Greek army.
The Odyssey is mostly about Odysseus’
adventures after the Trojan War.
 In one adventure he makes an enemy of
Poseidon, the Sea God.
 Poseidon punishes him by making him
wander the seas, never allowing him to
reach home.
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Invocation to the Muse
An INVOCATION is a call for help or support.
 In ancient times, poets or artists would call
upon a MUSE to help them write or create.
 A MUSE is a person or thing that inspires
you to create.
 Ancient poets, like Homer, would start their
poems with an invocation to the
Muse, or a call to help them
create a great poem.
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Epic Poem or Story
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An Epic Poem or story is a larger than
life story that contains many adventures
or a long journey.
Characteristics of an epic
The setting is vast, covering great
nations, the world or the universe.
 The action consists of deeds of great
valor or requiring superhuman courage.
 Supernatural forces—gods, angels,
demons — interest themselves in the
action.
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Characteristics of the Epic Hero
EPIC HERO - a larger-than-life hero who embodies the
values of a particular society.
Characteristics:
 1. An epic hero is superhuman. He is braver, stronger,
smarter, and cleverer than an ordinary person is.
 2. The epic hero is on a quest for something of great
value to him or his people.
 3. The villains that try to keep the hero from his quest
are usually uglier, more evil, and more cunning than
anyone we know in ordinary life.
 4. The epic hero is often of mixed divine and human
birth and so possesses human weaknesses.
 5. The divine world (the gods) interferes with the human
world.
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Epithet
A phrase that describes a person and
connects to their name. Often seen in
Homer’s Epic Poems.
 Epithets describe physical traits, lineage, or
personality traits.
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 Example:
○ Odysseus, son of Laertes
○ Sparkling-eyed Athena
○ Muse, daughter of Zeus
Terms used to talk about Epics
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Poet opens by stating the theme, invokes the
Muse, and opens the narrative in medias res,
giving necessary exposition later.
In medias res: Starting a story in the middle instead
of the beginning
Poet includes catalogs of warriors, ships, armies,
etc.
Extended formal speeches by the main characters.
Poet makes frequent use of the epic simile.
Epic simile: an elaborate comparison, involved and
ornate. Also called the extended or Homeric simile.
Epic (Homeric) Simile Example
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VI. line 139
"Muttering so, great Odysseus crept out of the
bushes, striping off with a massive leafy branch
from the tangled olive growth to shield his bod,
hide his private parts. And out he stalked as a
mountain lion exultant in his power strides through
the wind and rain and his eyes ablaze and he
charges sheep or oxen or chases wild deer but his
hunger drives him on to go for flocks, even to raid
the best homestead."
The Greek Virtues
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All Greeks were challenged to live by
the virtues set by their culture. Breaking
one of the Greek virtues meant angering
the gods. The virtues are:
 Loyalty
 Hospitality
 Respect for the gods and goddesses
 Respect for all forms of life
 Courage
Themes
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Respect for the Gods
Respect for the gods is shown through the numerous descriptions
of sacrifices and offerings. Disrespect for the Gods inevitably leads
to disaster; the Gods do not forget disrespect and are not easily
appeased. (Poseidon, Athena, Helios.)
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The Importance of Lineage
Almost every time we met someone significant the narration pauses
and we learn of the lineage.
Many "things" we see also have a lineage or history that we are
given - note Odysseus scar and his bow.
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Fate
Fate is preordained by a power beyond that of even the gods.
Paradoxically, it does not seem "random." A character's fate is tied
up with his "character."
Create your own Epithet
Create your own epithet on a piece of
paper.
 Write your name and create three
epithets for yourself according to the
following criteria
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 A physical trait
 A personality trait
 Lineage
○ Illustrate each of the epithets in a way that
symbolizes the phrase within the epithet.
Rubric for Grading the Epithet
Project:
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Epithet depicts physical trait
15
 Physical traits are illustrated in a symbolic way
10
Epithet depicts personality trait
15
 Personality traits are illustrated symbolically
10
Epithet depicts lineage
15
 Physical traits are illustrated in a symbolic way
 Name is creatively written on the paper
10
10
85 total